Tag Archives: nutrition

Does anyone remember the Food Pyramid that hung in every doctors office, and our schools that prescribed 5-6 servings of Carbohydrates a day , then closer to the top we had our meats, fish, and dairy. Traveling further to the very top…fat and sweets were lumped together as “use sparingly”? Sadly, this said Food Pyramid has led us into Obesity, Diabetes, Heart disease and so on. So who really benefited from this food pyramid and how did our health professionals have it so wrong ? (That’s another Blog)

Now I am not a medical student, nutritionist or a nurse, what I am is a Certified Whole Health Educator – Wellness Professional. In my studies I learned about the Five Aspects of Health through 16 courses ranging fromInflammation taught by Barry Sears, PhD to Metabolic Syndrome taught by Diana Schwarzbein, MD – to Nutrition Research at Harvard taught by Walter Willitt, MD,Dr PH.

Every course I studied touched upon the 5 Aspects of Health®: 1) Physical; 2) Emotional; 3) Environmental; 4) Nutritional; 5) Spiritual which gave the Big Picture understanding how “our bodies work and what our bodies need to stay healthy” that I am easily able to teach this “Big Picture™” understanding to educate and empower clients to take control of their health.

Understanding the body and the chemical makeup of our food, I would like to share some simple facts.

Carbohydrates turn to sugar in your body. Sugar turns on the Inflammation in our body.. Inflammation leads to most diseases. Sugar gets transported into the liver by a hormone your pancreas releases called insulin. Our brain needs a steady but very little sugar (glycogen) to keep us alive. Our muscle cells can only store so much sugar. The remaining sugar is stored in our fat cells and turns into the bad cholesterol. A diet high in carbohydrates, in time, can cause our bodies either to become insulin resistant or that the cells in our bodies cannot take any more sugar “Over Filled Cells”. Both resulting in high insulin and high blood sugar – Obesity, Diabetes, Heart Disease. interestingly enough a point worth sharing. Cancer feeds on Sugar. (Notice where Carbohydrates was on the food pyramid).

Protein consumption stimulates the pancrease to produce Glucagon which tells the body to release stored sugar – meaning it aide’s insulin in regulation blood sugar levels. Protein is the building blocks of our body needed for repair and regeneration. (Notice where the protein was on the pyramid).

This is where it will get very interesting to you :

Fats – Eating cholesterol and fat does not cause heart disease and or obesity!!!!! In fact, not eating this necessary nutrient causes heart disease and obesity – our body will convert the stored sugar in our fat cells into the bad cholesterol (LDL). Eating foods high in fat is needed by the body .Fat protects our brain, organs and systems in the body. Every cell membrane is our body is made from cholesterol. Our bodies convert fat into fuel – a clean burning fuel. (Notice where fat was on the food pyramid).

Now it will take more of blog to discuss the complexity of carbohydrates from complex to simple as well as the differences in fats from monounsaturated Omega 3 to saturated Omega 6’s . To keep it very simple to you- stay clear from white processed, enriched carbohydrates – get most of your carbohydrates from your vegetables. As far as fats, stay away from any fat made in a lab (canola, vegetable, and especially hydrogenated oil)and balance your Omega 3 to your Omega 6’s.

As you can see, it is imperative that we take control of our health. The information we are given is not always in our best interest. My job is to educate and empower you to do just that.